Shelter tent



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 (No Model.)

3. RICE. SHELTER TENT.

Patented 1300.29, 1896;

w a m N w my W A: a f 98H A m va R U T N E V N \A/ITIJEESEE (No Model.) a Shees-Sheet 2.

. E. RICE.

SHELTER TENT.

No. 573,918. Patented Dec. 29, 1896 1 wins co. PMoTouTMQ, wAswmumm-u. 1:.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. RICE.

SHELTER TENT.

N0.573, 918. PatentedDemZQ, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND RICE, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

SHELTER- TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,918, dated December 29, 1896. Application filed March 28, 1896. Serial No. 585,190. N m el) Trfrtll whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND RICE, a citizen of the United States, and an officer of the United States Army, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shelter- Tents, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in military shelter-tents and capes; and the object of my improvement is to provide the half of a shelter-tent, such as is now carried by a soldier in the army, with suitable fastenings, permanently attached to it, thesefastenings being reinforced so as to prevent the tent being torn when it is folded or rolled in the form of a belt and the fasteuings secured, as the soldier is now required to carry his clothing rolled up in his shelter-tent in the place of carrying a knapsack; and the object of the straps or fastenings beingpermanently secured to the tent is to allow the soldier to have the means at hand of securing his roll instead of being obliged to hunt, when they break camp, often before daylight, for shoe-strin gs, straps, or other articles with which to hold the folds of the roll together. This invention secures uniformity of appearance of the rolled tents when worn by the men.

Another object of my invention is to adapt this half of a shelter-tent to be worn as a cape, as the canvas forming the tent is to a certain degree Waterproof, and it practically provides the soldier with a superior substitute for the poncho or the rubber cape issued to the troops, but which is not worn by them on account of its being unsuitable.

I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a half of a shelter-tent such as is used in the army, it being the practice to divide shelter-tents in halves, so that each man carries the half of a tent and when they are pitched two men sleep under each tent. Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the shelfer-tent shown in Fig. 1. On this side of the tent is also shown myimprovements. Fig. 3 is an improved guy line or strap of my invention, and it is used as a substitute for the Manila guy-rope now in common use in the army. My improved guy-strap is adapted to fastening the ends of the blanket together. If the shelter-tent is worn over the blanket-roll, it

the soldier as a cape.

also may be used to fasten the terminals of the half shelter-tent when it is worn as a belt or strap, and it also may beused as an additional strap to hold the half of the shelter-tent over the shoulders when the tent is worn as a cape. Fig. 4 shows the tent pitched and the guy-line as shown in Fig. 3, there being one guy-line at each end of the tent to hold it in place. Fig.

5 is an end view of Fig. 4., showing the rear of the tent. Fig. 6 is a half of a shelter-tent unrolled and adapted to be worn as a cape, the guy-line being shown as an extra strap to hold the cape in place. Fig. 7 illustrates the half of a shelter-tent shown in Fig. 6 worn as a cape by a soldier, the canvas being doubled, which causes it effectually to keep out the cold and rain and does not interfere with the movement of the legs in marching. Fig. 8 shows the half shelter-tent worn across the shoulder in the form of a belt or a roll.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The half of a shelter-tent A is provided with gromets or eyelets B B B. To this tent is sewed, riveted, or fastened in any convenient manner or of any convenient shape a strip of canvas or a reinforce O, with its straps D D D, these straps being used for securing the tent when it is rolled up in belt form, and also for fastening the edges when it is worn by It is obvious that the exact shape of the reinforce or the fasteningstraps is immaterial, the object being to strengthen those parts of the tent which would be subjected to great strain in the act of fastening the roll by the soldier, and. the

reinforce or double thickness of canvas or other material at these points would prevent the tent from being torn and thus prevent leakage in it when pitched.

E is the guy-strap, which is adapted to form a part of the fastening of the cape when the tent is worn over the shoulders.

The intent and purpose of my improvements are therefore to utilize the sheltertent such as is now in use in the army not only as a tent, but as a cape and a knapsack, and I accomplish this by providing it with suitable reinforced fastenings adapted to admit of securing it as a roll to take the place of a knapsack, and also fastenings adapted so that it may be used as a cape; but I do not limit myself to the strap, as frogs, hooks and eyes, or other suitable fastening devices may be used; nor do I limit myself to any particular shape of the tent, as it may be of any desired shape, and the fastenin gs and reinforced or strengthened portions may be placed at the most convenient points.

It will be observed that the reinforce C serves not only to strengthen the canvas when rolled, as above stated, but it also forms an inside collar to the cape when the tent is used as such, (see dotted lines, Fig. 7,) the tent readily bending along the edge of this collar when thrown over the person. The guy rope or strap E serves the three functions of, first, an inside fastening for the cape, (see Fig. 7;) second, a guy-ropefor the tent, and third, it holds the terminals of the roll. (See Fig. 8.)

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shelter-tent, or part of a tent, provided with suitable permanent fastenin gs, and with reinforced portions for the purpose of securing it and preventing tearing when rolled and preventing leakage when used as a tent, substantially as described.-

2. A-shelter-tent, or part of atent, provided with reinforced and suitable permanent fastenings for the purpose of securing it when rolled and for holding it in place when worn as a cape, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination in a shelter-tent, or part of a tent, of securing means to form a roll, a reinforce and a guy-strap adapted to be secured to said reinforce to form a fastening when used as a cape, substantially as described.

4. The combinationin a shelter-tent, or part of a tent, of securing means to form a roll, a reinforce and a guy-strap adapted to form a fastening when used as a cape and to guy the tent when pitched, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a shelter-tent,or part of a tent, of securing means to form a roll, a reinforce and a guy-strap adapted to form a fastening when used as a cape and to guy the tent when pitched, and to tie the terminals when the tent is rolled, substantially as described.

EDMUND RICE. Witnesses:

M. J. OBRIEN, A. J. GEORGE. 

